Not worried about desertions from NCP, claims Sharad Pawar
'BJP misusing power and agencies to poach leaders from opposition ranks'
Pune, Jul 27: Asserting that he is not worried about people leaving his party, NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Saturday accused BJP of misusing power and agencies to poach leaders from opposition ranks.
He, however, expressed confidence that the ruling party would get a "befitting reply" from the electorate on this in the forthcoming Maharashtra Assembly polls.
"After BJP returned to power at the Centre, some people (in opposition) are feeling anxious. On the other hand, those in government are misusing power and poaching leaders from other parties and agencies are of great help," he said, citing the example of Income Tax raids on NCP MLA Hasan Mushrif in Kolhapur.
"Take the example of the IT raid in Kolhapur. He (Mushrif) was asked to come to the party (BJP) before this raid. When he refused, the IT raid followed," he alleged.
Pawar went on to claim that Karnataka was an ideal example of what can be done using money power.
"BJP leaders say their party is different from others, that it is a party with a difference. Now the people of the country have realised that difference. The difference is how a stable government can be destabilised using money or agencies and form a government by hook or by crook," he said.
"But I am sure in the elections, voters will give them (BJP) a befitting reply," Pawar told reporters on the sidelines of a book release programme here.
"As far as I am concerned, I am not at all worried about the developments. In the 1980s, 60 of our people won.
However, when I was abroad for 15 days, some people poached our men and only six people were left. But in the subsequent elections, all those who went that side got defeated and our new set of 60 people won," said Pawar.
"The situation is different now as lakhs of workers and youth who are not holding any position in the party are ready to take responsibilities. I am happy youth are getting opportunities," asserted Pawar.
Talking about Sachin Ahir, who recently joined the Shiv Sena, Pawar said it was all right if some people had taken a different stand.
When asked about some Assembly poll aspirants not turning up for NCP interviews in Solapur, Pawar said those whose tickets are confirmed need not appear for such interviews.
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US VP JD Vance says Lebanon not part of ceasefire, calls it ‘misunderstanding’
Budapest/Washington: US Vice President J D Vance has said that Lebanon was never included in the ceasefire understanding with Iran, describing the confusion as a “legitimate misunderstanding”.
Speaking to reporters before departing from Hungary, Vance said, “I think the Iranians thought that the ceasefire included Lebanon and it just didn’t. We never made that promise.”
He stressed that the United States had not included Lebanon in the scope of the ceasefire at any stage.
His remarks come amid continued Israeli strikes in Lebanon, where more than 200 people were reported killed, even as ceasefire talks between Iran and the US move forward.
Vance said Israel had “offered … to check themselves a little bit in Lebanon because they want to make sure that our negotiation is successful”.
He warned that if Iran allows the situation in Lebanon to affect the negotiations, it could derail the talks.
“If Iran wants to let this negotiation fall apart in a conflict where they were getting hammered over Lebanon, which has nothing to do with them and which the United States never once said was part of the ceasefire, that’s ultimately their choice,” he said.
